


Balanced

by AnnaDruvez



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-26 21:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19777006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaDruvez/pseuds/AnnaDruvez
Summary: An Ancient Sith, pulled out of a stasis pod and into questioning at the Jedi Temple, shakes things up. Destiny may never be the same.





	Balanced

**Author's Note:**

> So, this happened. Star Wars: The Old Republic is a wonderful game. For those that play it, is it obvious that Sith Inquisitor is my favorite class?

"You Jedi are idiots," the petite blonde rolled her green eyes. "You think that the Living Force is served by being unemotional - near psychopathic. Life is emotion. It's procreation. It's love. How did you ever think that ignoring those was going to bring balance?"

"Sith," Master Mace Windu sneered from his seat in the Council chambers. "As always, you're ruled by your passions."

"So are you."

He blinked, sneer morphing into surprise at her assertion.

"Passion is not just sex. Or rage. Or hate. Passion can be getting up in the morning and being excited to make lives better. Or make breakfast for your padawan. Or repair a broken speeder. Or... any number of things, really. Without passion, you don't have the motivation to do anything but recline on your bed and stare at the ceiling. Possibly not even that. There's a reason the first line of our Code is 'Peace is a lie, there is is only passion.'"

Obi-Wan stroked his beard and eyed the prisoner. "You do have a compelling argument there, I'll admit. But, I am aware of your code. How does any of that grant strength?"

She looked around her and grumbled, before plopping down to sit on the floor tailor style. "Seriously, you need seats for visitors. As for strength? A passion for something leads to practicing it. Practice makes you better - or stronger - in that field. 'Through passion, I gain strength.'"

"And power?" Anakin had a look in his eye that disturbed Obi-wan on some level when he asked that question. He wasn't certain why.

"Enough practice, enough strength, makes you an authority in whatever field you're passionate about. Is not being a recognized authority in something a powerful position? So, yes. 'Through strength, I gain power.'" She shrugged, completely relaxed.

Yoda smiled slightly. "And victory, then?"

"Cooking contests. Speeder races. Sabaac. Debate teams. 'Though Power, I gain Victory.'" Full, pink lips curled into a shockingly friendly smile coming from a Sith.

"And how," a skeptical and glaring Windu broke in, "does a cooking contest break chains?"

"Depending on the prize? Monetary compensation to pay your debts. A job at a good restaurant, perhaps getting you past whatever is holding you back in a career. 'Through Victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.'"

Luminara shook her head. "So, in your opinion...."

  
"The Sith Code is a misunderstood self-help motto? Yep." She flopped back on the floor. For all that she was awash in the Dark, the energy around her was relaxed and warm. It was almost like a lounging cat, purring in contentment until provoked. "Gods, even your ceiling is bland. I really hope your food isn't this tasteless. Otherwise, you're going to have one heck of a problem with digesting anything if you ever eat somewhere else."

Anakin eyed her in puzzlement. "I don't think I've ever run into a Sith like you before."

"You haven't." She laughed. "Let's look at your track record, hmm? Maul, a half-trained apprentice. Ventress, an acolyte with aspirations and even less training. Dooku, a Dark Jedi - not Sith, a Jedi playing at what he thinks a Sith would be. Really, dear, did you think any of them were the embodiment of our culture? They don't know our culture."

She sat back up. "I'll bet you that they can't name one Sith the Jedi haven't tangled with. How about Vectivus? He kept his attention on his company and his people while delving deeply into studies of the Dark. He died peacefully, at home, with his friends and family around him. He never once tried to rule the galaxy or pick a fight with a Jedi."

"Then there was Ragate, Overseer of the Academy and Mistress of Rituals. The only time she fought the Jedi was when they attacked her students."

"Or, how about one that did tangle with the Jedi? Lord Scourge, the former Wrath of Tenebrae - known as the Emperor Vitiate and Valkorion - who actually sided with and aided the Hero of Tython in his former Master's defeat? He didn't seek to take over the galaxy afterward and remained a good friend of the Jedi. The Republic even pinned a medal on him."

"How about Revan? The Jedi screwed him over twice. Yet, he still tried to save the galaxy - including the Jedi. Again, twice. He did some stupid things trying to do it, but he tried."

Windu's jaw had dropped. Anakin looked at the rest of the Council. "Did we know about them?"

Yoda nodded. "Know we did. In the Council's Library their biographies are kept. Confuse the younglings and Knights it would."

Windu turned his astonished gaze to Yoda. "I didn't know about this."

"Read more you should." Yoda admonished.

"With what time?" Windu's exasperation bled through into the Force.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose and interrupted the growing argument. "You do know that learning the universe has shades of gray is considered a sign of maturity, right? Keeping that from your students is counterproductive if you're trying to raise well-rounded members of society."

"And what would you know about that?" Windu, for all that he was shaken, shot back in defense of the Council's practices.

"Excuse you?" She shot him a withering glare. "I've raised a son and four apprentices. None of whom have tried to take over the galaxy or commit genocide of any sort. How many of the padawans of Yoda's training 'lineage' have decided to go out and try something like that?"

Yoda shifted a little in discomfort. "Two. Xanatos and Dooku."

"Two so far, you mean. Of the rest, one died and there are two that still haven't really passed the old tests for Mastery." Yoda's eyes dropped to the floor under her sharp gaze.

"What?" Kenobi's eyebrows raised.

"Very simple, Master Kenobi." She turned to look at him. "You haven't really been tempted yet. I know you're at war, and you've experienced dark things. But, you haven't really had the emotional temptation to see if you're going to do something like that. Your experiences with Maul came close, of course, but one person does not a genocide or galactic takeover make."

"As for Skywalker...." Her eyes zoned out and he watched her frown. "I see. He was tempted and failed. Those poor sand people. Did you really have to kill the children, too?"

The Council, nowhere near as serene as their reputation would imply, erupted into questions. Yoda tried to regain control, but made little headway. A thunderclap echoed through the room, silencing them all as they blinked to regain sight in flash blinded eyes. As his vision cleared, Kit Fisto noted the Sith's raised hand and the corresponding scorch mark on the ceiling.

"You really didn't like the paint job, did you?" He tried for levity.

"Let's just say that slamming lightning into it was no hardship." She snorted, then looked around with an expression not uncommon to beleaguered mothers everywhere. "Now, if you're through acting like a group of over excited children? Good. Skywalker, you need to find your balance before you can balance everyone else. You don't even know the meaning of the word yet, do you?"

"I do so!"

"Really? Then tell me." Her eyebrow lifted in challenge.

"Harmony."

"Nope."

"Order." His expression turned mulish.

"Nope."

He looked at the Council members, most of whom were eying her in curiosity and didn't seem inclined to help him. "Fine, you tell me."

"The equal state of opposites. For example, when two children weighing the same are on either side of a teeter totter, it's balanced state will put them both at the same height."

"Okay." Finally confusion slid across his face. "And how does that apply to me?"

She rubbed her eyes. "Let's see if I can't get this across more easily. What's the opposite of day?"

"Night."

"Good?"

"Evil."  
  
"Chaos?"

"Order."

"Greed?"

"Charity."

"Okay, you've got the idea of what opposites are. Now, what would you say if I told you that a certain amount of selfishness is good? That you need it to survive? And that you need a certain amount of altruism to make sure that those around you survive?"

Anakin blinked, looking like someone saying this was an entirely alien concept. Obi-wan buried his face in his hands. How had he missed teaching this?

"But, that's not the Jedi way...."

"Skywalker," she shook her head, "that's the way of every lifeform in the galaxy. Including the Jedi. I mean, if the Jedi weren't a little selfish why aren't you starving right now? Shouldn't you be sending all your food down to the lower levels of the city for the poor? Shouldn't you be naked because they're also getting your clothes? Dehydrated and filthy because they need water? Charity begins at home is not just a self-serving statement. It's a truism for two reasons. One, because charity is learned from your parents. And, two, because you need to be alive to make a difference."

Anakin started to speak, but she held up a hand. "I'm not saying that you should be dressed in fine cloth and eating only the most exotic meals. But, a little selfishness - enough to keep you healthy - is a good thing. Your body doesn't care if it's in sackcloth or silk as long as it's enough to keep the cold out. Your body doesn't care if your meal costs two credits or two hundred credits as long as it provides sufficient nutrients. So, yes, if you want to help others it's best to opt for the cheaper clothing and food. But, you still have to actually have that clothing and food."

"Why is a Sith teaching your padawan the basic lessons of the Jedi? Why didn't you?" Windu leaned closer to ask Obi-wan quietly. Nonetheless, the Sith apparently heard him.

"Because you threw a nine-year-old boy, one trained in a manner that his new master wasn't familiar with, at an inexperienced child that was wrapped up in grief." Her glare made Obi-wan's spine crawl even as he was glad it wasn't leveled at him. "That short-sighted irresponsibility was a disservice to them both."

She turned back to Anakin. "Your education - on both sides of the Force - is lacking. It's not your fault, or even your former master's fault. However, it does need to be rectified before you take further steps down a path you will ultimately regret.

"I am the Mother and Master of Darth Corruptus, Master of three Sith Lords - Corrin, Kaal, and Xalek, Master of the Jedi Ashara Zavros, Heir of Lord Aloysius Kallig and Tulak Hord, Dark Councilwoman responsible for the Sphere of Ancient Mysteries, Defeater and Savior of Revan, Destroyer of Thanaton and Zash, Master of the Dead, Great Dragon of the Cult of the Screaming Blade on Nar Shaddaa, and former slave. I am Darth Nox and, if you will have me, I will teach you what it is to be a person, a Sith, and a Jedi."

Anakin looked around helplessly for a moment. "One question?"

"Certainly."

"Corruptus?" Another Sith that Anakin had never heard of. Though, he found it telling that her son's name came before every other title she had, even her own name.

She laughed. "Kieraan had the biggest blue eyes and a boyish face. I deemed him Lord Corruptus as almost no one could resist his pout when he was a child. I was certain he'd either be dead by angry father or I'd be a grandmother several times over by the time he was twenty. Thank the Force for prophylactics!"

Anakin couldn't help his grin. Her attitude reminded him of his mother in so many ways. Still, he tried for solemnity. "Teach me? Please?"

She stood and walked over to him, laying a hand on his head and weaving a training bond. "I think I'll call you... Vader."

"Why?" He looked up at her.

"It means 'father' and your wife is carrying twins." His jaw dropped. The Council members broke into loud debate - both verbally and in the Force - whether they could allow a Sith to train him, if he should be expelled from the order, and what deep, dark cell they should throw her in.

Nox ignored the renewed commotion in the chamber to lean in with a smile. "You really can't keep secrets from a seer that speaks with the dead, you know. Now, while these old biddies are arguing among themselves, what do you say we grab your wife and go check on your former padawan? I think she really needed more than a 'here's your hat, what's your hurry' when she left here."

He looked at the Council members that were still arguing, wrapped up in their own perceptions of how things should be. He met her eyes and saw pragmatism, serenity, and acceptance. He nodded. She wrapped the Force around them - she was not as good at it as an assassin, but good enough in the current environment - and they headed for the door.

Passion, power, strength, victory, or whatever... he could feel chains loosening with every step.


End file.
